Tiana Raftstrand-Smith

Tiana Raftstrand-Smith (born 17 June 2003) is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL Women's Premiership.

A second-row, centre, she previously played for the Gold Coast Titans.

Background

Raftstrand-Smith was born in Auckland and is of Māori descent.[2] She played her junior rugby league for the Richmond Rovers before moving to the Gold Coast, Queensland as a 13-year old.[3][4] In Australia, she attended Keebra Park State High School and played rugby league for the Parkwood Sharks.[5]

Raftstrand-Smith's aunt, Portia Woodman, is a New Zealand rugby sevens and rugby union international.[6]

While at Keeba Park, Raftstrand-Smith was a member of the Australian rugby sevens Youth Development Program.[7]

In 2021 and 2022, she played for the Burleigh Bears in the QRL Women's Premiership, winning a Grand Final with the club in 2021.[8]

On 25 June 2021, the 18–year old Raftstrand-Smith started at second-row for Queensland in their State of Origin win over New South Wales. In August 2021, she signed with the Gold Coast Titans.[9]

In February, Raftstrand-Smith represented the Māori All Stars against the Indigenous All Stars.[10]

In Round 1 of the delayed 2021 NRL Women's season, she made her NRLW debut for the Titans against the St George Illawarra Dragons.[11] On 24 June 2022, she came off the bench for Queensland in their 20–14 loss to New South Wales.[12]

Raftstrand-Smith began the 2023 season playing for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the NSWRL Women's Premiership.[13]

On 20 May, Raftrand-Smith signed with the North Queensland Cowboys NRLW team on a two-year contract, alongside her younger sister Ebony.[14]

In Round 1 of the 2023 NRL Women's season, she made her debut for the Cowboys, starting at prop in a 16–6 loss to the Gold Coast Titans.[15]

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.